The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1887-05-25


erence to the delinquent tax list now in
the treasurer's Office. We have found
that in many instances, property, real and
personal, has been entirely omitted from
the assessors returns. necessitatinp SUM-
Elementary tax lists by the commissioners
and in the short t. ne allowed them were
unable to make complete assessment of
all the taxable property in the county.
Much annoyance to tax payers and col
leefor could be obvivated if the assessor in
entering special taxes would comply with
the aw and only return those entitled to
pay the same.
All OF which we respectfully submit.
A. E. DICKERMAN, Foreman
After reading the report the court ad-
dressed the jury substantially as follows ::
e JUDGE M'CoNNELL's REMARKS,
Gentlemen-I am very glad that you
are through with your arduous labors.
While [ want to economic for the county
in not keeping the juries here any longer
than possible, still | think it false no.
ton of economy 10 do that and leave the
work imperfectly done. The money
which people expend in the payment of
good grand jury is money most judi
ciously invested, and the manner in which
you have discharged your duty has been
gratifying in the very highest degree to
the court. | am a stranger in your midst.
| came here to hold court and do my duty
just as if had been born and raised here.
haYe but one rule in life in occupying a
public position, and that is to carefully
study and ascertain what my duty is, and
then to discharge it; and to meet with the
support of a good grand jury-a grand
jury made up of the representative citi-
zens of the county-on my first visit, that
have shown so much diligence and intelli-
gence, gives me courage and strength for
my future work here. This is exceeding
ly gratifying to me, aid I assure you that
you take with you to your homes my very
highest esteem and confidence; and while
Choteau county has such este emed citizens
fear for the future, either as to public or
der or the growth of the county in every
respect.
You have examined the affairs of the
county and the public institutions, and
make some suggestions in regard to their
which shows that you give
utterance to what you think. [ expect
that the report you make will be publish
ed. 1t is part Of the records here and
open to the inspection Of the public, and
operates as a suggestion to those officers
of the county whose duty it is to take
cognizance of such things. Usually,
where an officer has not done his duty.
and he gets a hint from the grand jury,
he generally goes to work and amends his
ways, if he is delinquent. IF that will |
not do, however, and there is still re-
on his part, at the next term of |
court the excellent philosophy of 1Esop's |
fable of the boy on the apple tree who |
was requested to come down and who was
inally persuaded to do so by throwing
stones at him, might be applied by the
grand jury writing letter in the shape of
IN Indictment and indorsing on it "a true
oill." That generally brings them to
ime. You have returned an unusually
arge number of indictments and have ig-
lored large number, which I have no
loubt you have wisely done. The great
st evil that you complain of is the ex-
'ense and the loss of time sustained in
witnesses who have been
rought before you in cases where the par
les have been bound over by justices of
he peace where you have found nothing
4 the case, and this involves great ex-
ense, as mileage is very heavy item of
Expense in this country of magnificent
This brings about an expendi-
ire of hundreds of dollars for nothing.
do not know exactly how you will rem
1y this. do not know your justices Of
le peace, bat if they do not exercise more :
ire in refusing to commit unless the evil I
ence is stronger, and not put under re-
'gnizance witness unless he knows J
that is material and important :
the matter, I do not see any remedy :
r that but to elect better men. am not n
ying this to reflect on the justices of the II
,ace, because [ do not know how that is;
at is an evil that do not know how you
n very well get rid of. 4
One of the greatest troubles in the adj
inistration of the criminal law is the
avy expense which it entails upon tax y
yers, as | believe everything comes out II
yonr county treasury here. The p'
eatesg difficulty TO contend with is to re-
ce indictments to cases of actual guilt ~
lvie conviction can be secured in the "
lrts. That is one of the greatest troubles -
It have had 10 contend with, and this sy
hink is the experience Of communiti es ~
ArvuhAra I Ena,y in Frnnpocoao IL "